Charging apparatus



June 13, 1933. R. L. FRINK CHARGING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR R. L. FRINK 1,913,665 CHARGING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 13, 1933.

- Patented'June 13, 1 9 33 Ares ATENT. oFFICE ROBERT In. FRINK, OF LANCASTER, OHIO mneme Arrm'rns Applicationfiled September 7f, 1929. Serial No. 390,897.

This invention relates to charging glass furnaces.

Glass furnace charging as heretofore practiced has generally comprised charging the furnace with batches-of material at spaced intervals. -Every'tirne a new batch of raw material is supplied, an additional load is thrown on the furnace. From the very nature of this operation, irregularities in the melting operation are set up. Continuous charging is highly desirable, but because of the very high temperature of the glass furnace, the erosive actionof the constituents and also because of the viscosity and adhesive properties of the constituents when in semimolten condition, the ordinary charging schemes such as used for handlingofcoahore, et'c., are practically useless in connection with glass melting operations. I provide acharging device which is very simple in operation,

positive in action and effective for supplying material in a substantially continuous manner.

I employ a pusher adjacent an opening in the furnace wall and maintain amass of material-adjacent the opening. The pusher is made of such size relative to the opening that feeding pressure is applied over a portion only-of the area of the opening. Provision is made for varying the period and stroke of the pusher so as tov regulate the quantity of material supplied per unit of time. The pusher is not projected entirely through the a furnace wall and is effective for maintaining the opening substantially filled with constituent material, tlfillS formingan eifectiveseal. The opening preferably enlarges in cross sectional area from the outside to the inside of the furnace. As above mentioned, the pusher is of smaller cross-sectional area than the opening. This prevents-breakage in case a large lump of material becomes ammed..

Experience with the apparatus shows that the following points should be borne in mind if the best results are to be secured: first, the

area over which feeding pressure is applied should be not over about half the area of the opening; second, the pusher should be operated at relatively short time intervals so that feeding is substantially continuous; third,a

constant supply of constituent materials should at all times arise above the top of the charging opening, and it is preferable to have a material head of pressure of the constituent material upon the opening and pusher.

- In a modification of my invention I provide means for angularly shifting the pusher in order that the material fed to, the furnace shall be distributed throughout the width thereof. This feature is of importance because the width of the. furnace varies from six to eight times the width of the pusher.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodlment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal cross section through a charging apparatus and a portion of a melting furnace,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line IIII of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view (showing a part v of the furnace in section) of a modification,

and

Figure 4 is an elevation of the modification shown in Figure 3.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is shown a furnace 2-having a side wall 3 with a charging opening 4 formed therein. As is shown in Figure 1, the opening is of substantially constant width, but is of materially greater height at the inside of the furnace than at the outside.

Located outside the furnace and'adjacent the opening 4 is asupporting structure 5 carrying a metal slab 6. This slab is so positioned that its top face is above thefloor 7 of the opening 4. The slab 6 carries bearings 8 in which slides a pusher 9. The pusher "0 provided witha variable throw adjustment such as is commonly used and of any well known design.

The periphery of the crank disk is cut to form a worm wheel whose teeth cooperate with a worm 16 mounted on a shaft 17. The

worm shaft 17 carries a worm wheel 18 driven from a worm 19 on a shaft 20. The shaft 20 is connected through gearing 21 to a motor is used. I have found it convenient to use,

instead of the mechanism shown and described in preceding paragraph, a variable speed reducing gear, so that I may be able to increase or diminish the number of strokes per minute'without interrupting the charging of the material. f

Material is supplied tothe feeder from a hopper 24 built up over the support 5 and slab 6 immediately adjacent the opening 4. This hopper has lips 25 terminating substantially at the tank wall 3 so as to prevent leakage of material. Batch material is fed to the hopper 24 from a storage hopper 26 provided with a spout 27 and a control gate 28. When the hopper 24 is filled, material will flow into the opening 4 a distance determined by the,

natural angle of repose. Assuming now that the motor 22 is started, the pusher 9 will move forward and urge the material inwardly. When the pusher is withdrawn the space which the head previously occupied will be immediately filled by down-flow of material from the hopper and this material will be fed forward on the next stroke of the pusher. If a lump of material should fall into this space, it will be pushed through the mass, but because of the large clearance provided, no harm will result.

An installation effective for charging twenty tons of material per day employed an opening 4 which was 6" high and 18" wide at the outer face. The pusher employed was 12" wide by 1 in height. The pusher was so placed that it lay substantially 2" above the floor 7 and terminated its stroke about 3" back of the outside face of the furnace wall 3. I

As the material is moved inwardly, it will start to melt down and, in fact, the glass" line of the furnace will lie at somewhat be- 5 low the floor 7, as indicated at G in Figure 1. This is the condition which will obtain in an ordinary furnace. In my copending application, Serial No. 140,273, filed October 8, 1926, I have described and claimed a furnace in which the material is moved over an inclined sole. I have indicated'in chain lines by S the point at'which the sole terminates if the feeder is used in; connection with such apparatus. The material lying in the opening 4 will act as a seal and no danger opening 31 in the furnace wall 32.

may be caughtby the pusher 9 and the plate 6 and carried back on the back stroke.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the charging device 30 is positioned adjacent the charging The charging hopper is illustrated at 33 and is adapted to supply material to the charging opening 31. The charging opening is determined by the position of a verticall adjustahle water-cooled door 34. The cfiarging opening is also provided with a watercooled bottom late 35. A bearing slab 36 is positioned a ove the block 35 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The watercooled door 34 and the block 35 have suitable thereto. A pair of shafts 40 and 41 are journalled in suitable bearings 42 and 43 in the side plates 37 and 38. The shafts 40 and 41 are provided with rollers 44, 45 and 46. A modified form of pusher or ram is illustrated at 47 and is adapted to be carried on the rollers 44 to 46. A flat plate or head 48 is pivoted to the forward end of the pusher 47 as illustrated at 49, and the head 48 and the pusher 47 have their adjacent ends suitably inclined to permit rotation of the head 48 about the pivot 49.

The reciprocation of the pusher or ram 47 and its pivoted head 48 is effected by means 0 a shaft 50 journalled in bearings 51in the upper portion of the side plates 37 and 38. v A sprocket wheel 52 is mounted on the shaft 50 to provide achain drive for the latter. An eccentric 53 is also mounted on the shaft 50 and is adapted to actuate a connecting rod 54. The connecting rod 54 has a pivotal connection with the ram 47 as indicated at 55. When the shaft 50 is driven, by means of a chain drive or other suitable driving mechanism, the operation of the eccentric 53 effects reciprocation of the ram 47 and its pivoted head 48-to feed material from the hopper 33 to the furnace.

In order to effect the pivotal movement of the head 48, I provide a ratchet wheel 56 ciprocation of the ram 47 will afiect a ninety degree rotation of the ratchet wheel 56.

When the ratchet wheel 56 occupies the position illustrated, or a position diametri- When the link 57 is actuated to its extremeforward position, the head 48 takes up the position indicated in the dash lines. The head 48 thus oscillates with every reciprocation of the ram 47 so that it occupies first a position on one side of its normal position, is then returned to its normal position, and thereafter shifted to a position the other side of normal. This process is then reversed and the whole cycle continues as long as the ram is reciprocated.

It is found in practice that the pivoted head secured to the ram 47 permits the feeding of material to substantially the entire width of a furnace, even though the latter width is eight to twelve times that of the charging head. This result is obtained because the material as charged floats on the surface of the molten contents of the furnace and is advanced by the pressure of the material subsequently charged through the charging door. The masses previously charged are caused to be directed and distributed over the surface of the molten glass by suitable adjustment of the pivoted member 48, it being possible to so adjust this member and the mechanism actuation that the masses will be not only pushed forward but also will be pushed to one side and turned so that they will move in a direction determined by the angle of the end of the pusher plate 48, as also by the impulse imposed upon the sides of the masses previously charged, which effects a turning movement. In this way substantially the entire width of the furnace can be covered with batch piles.

Although I have described and illustrated only two embod ments of my invention, I do not intend to be limited to the specific terms thereof, since changes and alterations therein will probably occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Such changes are intended to come within the spirit of my invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for charging material to a furnace through an opening in the furnace wall, including a pusher whose area is not more than about half the area of the opening, means for moving the pusher towardor away from the opening, means for supplying material adjacent the openng, and means for swinging the pusher in a horizontal plane.

2. Apparatus for charging material to a glass melting glass melting furnace through an opening in the furnace wall, including a hopper rising above the opening, and a pusher substantially smaller than the wall opening, having a portion within the hopper, the pusher being spaced from the opening in the furnace wall, but movable toward and away from such opening, andswingable laterally.

3. The combination with a furnace, a material-feeding hopper adjacent a charging opening in said furnace, and a reciprocable c arglng ram having a pivoted head, of a crank and connecting rod for reciprocating said ram, a ratchet wheel on said ram, a link connecting the ratchet wheel and said pivoted head, and a pawl for engaging said wheel as the ram reciprocates, to swing the head on its pivot.

4. A material feeder for a-furnace comprising a hopper adjacent a charging door in the furnace, a reciprocable ram having a pivoted head for forcing material through said door and means for swinging said head on its pivot including a ratchet wheel on said ram, 3. link connecting the wheel to the head and a pawl for actuating the wheel as the ram is reciprocated.

5. A furnace-charging device including a chute for charging material, a reciprocable ram for forcing material from the chute through a charging door in the furnace, a pivoted head on the ram and means on the ram for swinging the head from side to side as the ram reciprocates.

6. A feeding device comprising a reciprocable ram, a head pivoted thereon for oscillation in a horizontal plane, reciprocating means therefor, and means for swinging the head as the ram reciprocates, whereby the material fed is advanced laterally of th feeder on both sides thereof.

7 In a glass-furnace charging mechanism, the combination with an opening in the furnace wall of substantial width and depth, and a hopper for supplying material adjacent thereto, of a reciprocable charging ram for forcing material from the hopper through the opening, said ram being substantially smaller in width and depth than said opening and swingable about a vertical axis.

8. In a glass-furnace charging mechanism, the combination with an opening in the furnace wall, and a hopper for supplying material adjacent thereto, of a reciprocable charging ram for forcing material rom the hopper through the opening, said ram being substantially narrower than the opening and swingable in a horizontal plane.

9. The method of charging material to a glass furnace through an opening in the furnace wall which includes maintaining a mass of material adjacent the opening, applying feeding pressure over a small portion only of the area of the opening, and laterally varying the angle of application of said pressure.

10. The method of charging material to a glass furnace through an opening in the furnace wall which includes maintaining a mass of material adjacent the opening, pressing a feed member against the mass, the feed member having an area materially less than the area of the opening, and laterally changing the angle of engagement of the feeder with the mass.

11. The method of charging material to a glass furnace through an opening in the furnace wall which includes maintaining a mass of material adjacent the opening, pressing a feed member against the mass, the feed member having an area materially less than the area of the opening, varying the distance through which the feed member is moved, and laterally changing the angular position of the feed member.

12. The method of charging material to a glass furnace through an opening in the furnace wall which includes maintaining a mass of material adjacent the opening, applyin feedin pressure over only about half the area of the opening, and laterally changing the angle of application of said pressure.

13. Apparatus for charging material to a glass melting furnace through an opening in the furnace wall, including a pusher whose area is substantiallyless than the area of the opening, means for supplying material adjacent the opening, means for reciprocating the pusher, and means for oscillating the pusher horizontally.

14. Apparatus for charging material to a glass melting furnace through an opening in the furnace Wall, including a pusher Whose area is less than the area of the opening, means for supplying material adjacent the opening, means for reciprocating the pusher, means for varying the stroke of the pusher, and means for oscillating the pusher horizontally.

15. Apparatus for charging material to a glass melting furnace through an opening in the furnace wall, including a pusher whose area is substantially less than the area of the opening, means for supplying material adjacent the opening, means for reciprocating the pusher, means for varying the interval between strokes, and means for oscillating the pusher in a substantially horizontal plane.

16. A feeding device comprising a reciprocable member, a ram pivoted for movement in a substantially horizontal plane on said member, means for reciprocating the member and means for swinging said ram on its pivot as it reciprocates, whereby the material fed is advanced laterally of the feeder as well as directly in the line of reciprocation.

17. A material feeder comprising a reciprocative member, a pivoted pusher mounted on a vertical shaft on said member, and means for effecting pivotal movement of said pusher and reciprocation of said member,

advanced lat- Wherehy the material fed is directly in line my hand.

ROBERT L. FRINK. 

